


The Aftermath

by blakefancier



Series: Young Lovers [50]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 07:15:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3682932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of the accident. What happened? Who's okay? Sometimes there are more questions than answers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Aftermath

Steve woke to the sound of incessant beeping. He frowned and slowly opened his eyes; the room was bright and fuzzy around the edges and smelled like antiseptic. Sarah was sitting in a chair next to his bed, reading a magazine. She looked tired and worried, her hair falling out of her ponytail. He was struck by how familiar this was. He hated how familiar this was.

"Mom," he croaked, his throat sore. He wondered if they had to intubate him.

Sarah quickly lifted her head, eyes widening, then she smiled. "I was wondering when you'd wake up, sleepyhead." She helped him sit up and gave him some water.

"Howard? Ms. Carter?" It was hard to get the words out past the fear lodged in his chest.

"They're fine. They're both fine." Sarah stroked his hair and kissed his forehead. "Ms. Carter needed minor surgery and Howard dislocated his shoulder and cracked a few ribs, but they're both healing. You're fine, too. Though you're going to be in a leg brace for a month until your bones heal."

"I want to see Howard," he said.

Sarah pressed her lips together and took a deep breath. "Not today. They've got you on enough painkillers to knock out an elephant—and I'm not exaggerating. You've been burning though morphine like it was nothing. You can see him tomorrow, before you're discharged." 

"But—"

She shushed him. "Just rest, baby. We'll talk about it later."

He didn't want to rest; he wanted to see Howard. But the longer he was awake, the harder it was to keep his eyes open. Stupid medication. He hated hospitals. 

***** 

The second time Steve opened his eyes, he felt less fuzzy. His leg ached horribly and there was a taste in his mouth like something died in it, but he could probably balance a checkbook. Sarah was standing at the window, staring out. Steve wondered what she saw; this was a nicer room than he was used to and not at all familiar. 

"Are we at SHIELD?" he asked, and she turned to look at him. 

"No, but the doctors who've been taking care of you are." She walked over and straightened his blankets. "Ms. Carter woke up this morning and Howard has been asking after you since yesterday." She grimaced. "Not coherently; the doctors have him on morphine, too, and he's not tracking very well."

"I want to see him," he said, struggling to sit up without pulling out his IVs. People always got upset when he did that, accidentally or not. 

Sarah rushed to his side and put a hand on his chest. They stared at each other for a while, and then she sighed. "Okay, but at least wait until I can get a wheelchair."

Steve nodded, gently settling back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling while he waited.

When Sarah got back, ten minutes later, she had a wheelchair and a couple of orderlies with her. They helped Steve get situated in the chair and made sure the IV bags were hanging appropriately, then Sarah pushed him towards another part of the hospital. "He has a private room." 

Steve rolled his eyes, of course he did. "Where's Tony?"

"Maria dragged him home a few hours ago. He's been doing double duty here and back at Stark Industries. You wouldn’t believe the fuss everyone makes when the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company gets into a car accident." Sarah's voice sounded strained and Steve looked up at her in concern.

"What's going on?"

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "There are a lot of rumors flying around, Steve. Most of them aren't very complimentary." The tone of her voice said that she agreed with them.

"Ms. Carter was driving," Steve said. "He gave her the keys because he knew he wasn't in any shape to drive." 

Sarah was quiet and for a moment he thought she wasn't going to respond. "He was responsible for you, Steve. He should have done better than that. You were supposed to be home safe and sound and instead—" She took a deep breath. "He should have done better."

"Mom…"

"Here we are," she said, her tone falsely chipper. She wheeled him in and touched the top of his head. "Ten minutes. He's pretty drugged up and still in a lot of pain."

Steve looked over at Howard, who was lying in bed, bandaged and bruised. "Okay, ten minutes." He waited until she was gone before he rolled closer and took Howard's hand in his. 

Howard frowned, then slowly opened his eyes. "Steve?" He slurred Steve's name, but he smiled. "There you are."

"Here I am." Steve smiled back and kissed Howard's knuckles. "How do you feel?"

"I'm on morphine. I'm not feeling anything right now. How, um, how are you?" Howard's eyes were a little unfocussed and Sarah was right, he wasn't really tracking. 

Steve's leg hurt like a son of a bitch, but there wasn't anything anyone could do about it. He'd just grit his teeth and deal; it wouldn’t be the first time. "I'm fine." 

"Yeah, me, too. I like the good drugs. Gonna hurt like fuck when they take me off. I…" 

Steve waited for Howard to finish his sentence, but he sort of drifted. "I love you."

Howard gave Steve a goofy grin. "I love you, too. You're the best, Steve." 

"Okay." Steve laughed a little. "You look tired. Close your eyes and get some rest. I'll be right here with you."

"Mmm." Howard closed his eyes. "I love morphine." 

Sarah came back into the room exactly ten minutes after she'd left him and wheeled him back to his room. 

***** 

Steve didn't stay in his room, of course. He'd spent a lot of time in hospitals; he knew how to make a quick getaway. And there was always a wheelchair when you needed one too. 

A few minutes at an empty nurse's station and he was able to get Ms. Carter's hospital room from the computer. Thankfully, it was on the same floor as his, otherwise he might have had to give up. 

There were SHIELD agents stationed near Ms. Carter's room—and he only knew that because he'd seen them one day at the commissary, after one of his and Isaiah's physicals—but they didn't stop him from wheeling into her room. 

"Oh," he said, stopping just inside the room. Ms. Carter wasn't alone; there was a young blonde woman sitting next to the bed. "I didn't realize Ms. Carter had guests." 

"Who are you?" the woman asked, rising from her chair. She put herself between Steve and the bed. It might have been funny, she was about five inches shorter than he was, except that she carried herself like she could beat him up even if he wasn't in a wheelchair. 

"Steve Rogers. I was in the car with Ms. Carter." He swallowed hard. "I just wanted to see how she was doing."

The tension in the woman's body eased away. "Oh, right. I'm Sharon. Peggy's my aunt." She walked over and offered her hand, they shook, then Sharon sat down again. "She's healing. The doctors say she might be home by Christmas." 

"That's great." Steve let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "When my mom said she needed surgery, I was a little worried."

"Aunt Peggy's strong. She's been through worse than some attempt on a rich guy's life," Sharon said. 

"Attempt—" Steve's stomach clenched. "They think someone was trying to kill Howard?" 

Sharon looked like she'd just swallowed a bug. "I heard the guards talking. Don't say anything, will you; I don't think anyone's supposed to know." 

"I won't say a word." Steve bit the inside of his cheek. He wanted to stay and talk to Sharon, see if she knew anything else, but his leg was throbbing and who knew when his mom or one of the staff would drop in. "I should probably get back to my room. Tell Ms. Carter that I came by."

"I will. It was nice meeting you, Steve." 

"You, too, Sharon." Steve waved, then wheeled himself back to his room, thoughts racing frantically through his head. 

*****

The SHIELD doctors were amazed by his ability to heal and figured he'd be a hundred percent by the New Year. That might have been good news, except that Sarah decided that it meant they could still go to Philly for Christmas.

"I'm not going," he said, trying to look determined on a pair of crutches, his leg in a red medical boot that went all the way up his thigh.

"Steve, I am not having this discussion with you." Sarah's voice was soft and deceptively calm—it was the tone she used when he was on thin ice, but he didn't care. She was sitting on the couch flipping through a magazine. "Mr. Fury was nice enough to offer us a car so that we can drive to Philly and see the family. We're leaving early tomorrow, so you'd better pack now."

"Mom—"

"No, Steve. I'm sorry, but this is not a matter up for discussion." Sarah looked up at him, her jaw clenched. 

"We have to stay," he said, though he knew it would only make matters worse. "Tony and Maria are heading to California tomorrow night and Howard will be alone on Christmas." Sarah sighed deeply and Steve gave her a pleading look. "He's hurt, Mom. Please, let me stay."

"Howard is a very rich man, Steve. He can afford the very best care." 

Steve's eyes stung. "It's Christmas!"

"Steven Grant Rogers, that is enough!" Sarah got to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. "I am done arguing with you. Now go pack right now!"

"This isn't fair." Steve hated the way his voice shook, but he couldn’t seem to rein in his reaction.

Sarah sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "If you finish packing within the next forty-five minutes, I'll let you see Howard after."

He turned and stalked away. "Whatever."

"Don’t you dare slam your door, Steven!" 

Steve was tempted to disobey, but in the end he gently closed his bedroom door and blared his music instead.

***** 

Steve hated hospitals but he wasn't going to miss saying goodbye to Howard, no matter how he felt. And he didn't exactly have a lot of time either because Sarah wanted him home before dark, like he was a kid or something. But at least he didn't have to take the subway because a SHIELD agent dropped him off. He was supposed to call for pick up when he was done. Weird. 

Howard was sitting up in bed with a tablet on his lap, an unhappy look on his face, when Steve entered the room—they must have stopped giving him the morphine.

"You're supposed to be relaxing," Steve said, clomping across the room. He had adapted to the boot and the crutches, but it was still awkward. 

Howard smiled and set the tablet aside. "I am relaxing. Obi sneaked in a cell phone—you should have seen me a half hour ago before the nurses took it from me."

Steve rolled his eyes and when he got to Howard's bedside, leaned in for a kiss. Unfortunately, with their injuries, he could only manage a kiss on the top of Howard's head. "Mom's making me go to Philly. We leave tomorrow morning." 

"Yeah, Nick mentioned that you two were borrowing a car."

"I tried to talk her out of it." Steve leaned his crutches against the bed and sank down into a chair. "But you know how she is. I don't know why she has to be so stubborn." 

Howard sighed and leaned back. "Hey, I know you're mad, but give her a break."

"What?" Steve couldn’t believe his ears. "Don't you want me around?"

"Of course I do. But, babe, your mom had a really big scare a few days ago. Do you know what it's like to get a phone call from the police telling you that your kid's been in an accident? Because I have, Steve, and it's terrifying. It was one of the worst moments of my life. So give her a break, okay?"

He slumped in his chair, feeling ashamed. "I just want to spend Christmas with you. You're hurt and… and you shouldn’t be alone."

"I know, but I'm not going to be alone." Howard smiled. "I hired a very capable nurse who will make sure I don't drown myself in the shower or tumble down the stairs." 

"Is he pretty?" Steve was not jealous of some unknown, probably redheaded, nurse.

"*She* has massive arms that can snap me like a twig. According to your mom, she is very good at her job and can use the money."

"Oh." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked away.

"Hey, you'll be back for New Year's Eve though, right?" At Steve's nod, Howard smiled. "Well there you go. Tony will still be with Maria so it'll be you, me, and a bottle of sparkling cider, baby. We'll lie in bed and watch the ball drop, maybe make out a little. It'll be great." 

Steve tried not to smile, but Howard looked so eager that Steve couldn't help himself; he laughed. "You must think I'm a cheap date."

"I'll order pizza." Howard waggled his eyebrows until Steve threw a couple of tissues at him. 

Steve stayed until Howard could barely keep his eyes open. "I'll call you on Christmas," Steve promised, kissing the top of Howard's head. "I love you." 

"Love you, too," Howard said around a yawn.

Steve texted the SHIELD agent who picked him up earlier and by the time he got to the exit, the car was waiting for him. As they were pulling out onto traffic, Steve got an idea. "Hey, can we make a quick stop before you take me home? There's something I gotta do."

The agent agreed and Steve smiled.


End file.
